9.Isabella is at hospital

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:

Just as the room seemed to calm down, the door swung open, and Martha rushed in, her face pale with concern. Her usual composed demeanor was gone, replaced by a look of urgency that immediately had my heart racing.

"Xavier." she said, breathless. "Isabella... she collapsed. She’s at the hospital right now."

My stomach dropped. The air around me seemed to thicken, and I froze for a moment, my mind racing.

"What do you mean, collapsed? Is she okay?"I asked.

Martha’s voice was frantic as she tried to explain.

"She was at the mall, right after finishing her shift. She fainted in the middle of the store. A man dark-haired, tall, he carried her inside. And Xavier, the way he looked at her... it wasn’t just concern. It was like... like he was in love with her. I’ve never seen anyone look at her that way."Martha said.

I felt a knot tighten in my chest. A man? A dark hair man? The way she described him, as a loving person. It sent a surge of jealousy through me. My heart pounded as I tried to process her words.

"A man?" I repeated, my voice low, barely controlled. “What do you mean, a loving look?"

Martha hesitated, sensing the change in my tone, but she didn’t back down.

"He was holding her like she was the most important thing in the world. He was gentle, tender... it was obvious how much he cared for her. I’ve never seen her look so... vulnerable, so at ease with someone else."She said.

I felt the anger bubbling up inside me, and my fists clenched at my sides. The idea of another man, no less a stranger holding Isabella with such tenderness made my blood boil. I had no right to feel this way, but I couldn’t stop it. I had screwed up, but now that I realized how much I wanted her, the thought of losing her to someone else... It felt like a punch to the gut.

"Did you get his name?" I asked.

"No." Martha said, shaking her head. "I didn’t get the chance. She was already being rushed in when I got there. I didn’t want to push her, especially with everything that’s happened."

I stood there, trying to control my breathing, but the jealousy and frustration were too much to ignore. The idea of Isabella with someone else, someone who clearly cared for her in a way I hadn’t, tore at me. I’d been so blind before, but now... now that I realized how much she meant to me, it felt like I was losing her all over again.

Just then, my parents walked into the room, having overheard the conversation. My mother’s face softened when she saw me, but her expression quickly turned serious as she caught the tail end of Martha’s words.

"Xavier, what’s going on?" My mother asked, concern in her voice. "Is Isabella okay?"

It was weird to see her being worried. Before I could answer, my father stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "What’s this about a man? Who is this guy?"Dad asked.

I could feel the heat rise in my chest, and my anger flared.

"She collapsed. Some man carried her into the hospital. A dark haired guy. And he looked at her like he was in love with her. I don’t know who he is, but I’m going to find out."I said.

My mother’s face softened with sympathy, but my father’s gaze sharpened.

"Xavier, I understand you’re upset, but you need to calm down. Maybe this guy is just trying to help her."She said

"Help her?" I repeated, my voice low with frustration. "I don’t care what he’s doing. I just... I don’t want her getting too close to someone else. Not after everything that’s happened."I said.

My mother sighed, looking at me with a mixture of concern and disappointment.

"Xavier, you’ve been so focused on yourself, on your own pain, that you didn’t see what Isabella was going through. She needed you, and you weren’t there. Now you’re upset because another man is helping her? You can’t have it both ways."She said.

Before I could respond, my grandmother, who had been quietly sitting in the corner, spoke up, her voice cutting through the tension.

"You’re both missing the point." She said, her tone firm but gentle. "Xavier, I understand you’re hurt, but Isabella is a grown woman. She has every right to seek help from whoever she needs, even if that person happens to be a man. You can’t control who she interacts with just because you’re upset."Grandma said.

"But this man... he’s not just helping her. He’s looking at her like she’s the most important thing in the world. And I’m not sure I can handle that."I said.

My grandmother’s eyes softened as she looked at me, but there was a firmness in her voice.

"You’ve had your chance, Xavier. You hurt her, and now you have to live with the consequences. If you truly care about her, you need to show her, not just tell her. If this other man is treating her well, then maybe that’s what she needs. You can’t just expect her to wait around for you to get your act together."Grandma said again as I sighed. She wasn't wrong about it.

I clenched my jaw, but before I could speak, my father intervened, his voice stern.

"Your grandmother’s right. You’ve been selfish, Xavier. And now, you need to fix it. You can’t expect Isabella to just forgive you and come back to you. If you want her, you have to prove that you’ve changed."Dad said.

The weight of their words hit me like a ton of bricks. My father’s disappointment was palpable, and my grandmother’s words stung, but they were right. I had to change, I had to prove to Isabella that I was worthy of her. First I neded to see her.

"Martha get me to that hospital."I said.

"Of course, sir."She said.

I arrived at the hospital, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t shake. The image of Isabella collapsing, and the idea of someone else carrying her, lingered in my mind. It made my chest tighten every time I thought about it. I couldn’t bear the thought of her being hurt, of her needing someone and I wasn’t there. I made my way down the sterile hallways, the soft sound of my footsteps echoing in the quiet. When I reached her room, I stopped just outside the door, taking a deep breath. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to find, but I knew I needed to see her. I pushed the door open slowly, not wanting to disturb her if she was still sleeping. She looked peaceful, too peaceful, but I knew better than to think she was okay. She wasn’t. I could see the exhaustion in her face, and I was the one who put her through it. I walked closer to her bed, my steps quiet, as if not to disturb the fragile moment. I stood by her side for a moment, just watching her, before I gently reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. My fingers lingered on her skin for a moment longer than I intended, but I couldn’t help it. I had missed her more than I realized

But then, after a few moments, her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked a few times, her gaze unfocused at first, and then it landed on me.

"Xavier?" She whispered, her voice soft, weak.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion.

"I’m here, Isabella. You’re okay."I said.

Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to make sense of everything. She blinked again, her hand twitching slightly, and I took it without thinking. My fingers gently wrapped around hers, holding her hand softly, as if to reassure her that I wasn’t going anywhere.